Feral/Feudal World Armours
"I don my armour. I take my trident. I’m bound by the secrets given to me. I honour my king. I am a warrior of the Star Sanctum. I draw upon the power of the star as I draw my sword.” — Ceremonial Litany of the Knights of the Star Sanctum. Armours of feral worlds tend to be of natural materials including wood, hides and bone, while feudal worlds benefit from a deeper understanding of metallurgy and may incorporate tougher substances in their protective gear. Iron or steel are the standards, though some worlds may use bronze or even copper. Feral/Feudal Armours Banded Armour The banded armour of Fervious is made from layers of tough, laminated strips of hide, bonded or sewn to cushioned leather. The armour has been developed to stop the razorsharp Fervious long-sabres. The banded armour is also highly effective against primitive ranged weapons, but struggles against more advanced technology. Normally, the suits are worn by warriors and nobles who constantly fear for their lives due to Fervious’s callous culture—where murder is an accepted form of dispatching rivals. Bone Armour On many feral worlds the strongest material available is bone, and so it falls to this crude substance to provide some measure of protection. Bone armour is made from the skeletal remains of beasts. The design and shape is wholly dependant on the world it originated on and the type of animal bones used. There are a few common themes, no matter where the armour was made; the skull is usually hollowed out and serves as the helmet, while ribcages and thick bone plates form the breastplate. Sometimes the armour is dressed in furs and hides, but, more often than not, the bone is on full display to give the wearer a fearsome appearance. Bracers Bracers are worn on the wrists and may be made from hide, leather or Metal. They serve a dual purpose in offering a mild element of protection, turning the blade of a dagger or sword, as well as assisting archers to steady their wrist when drawing a bowstring. Like many types of armour, bracers are often decorated, from finely carved and intricate designs, to being inlaid with precious stones and metals to show the owner’s wealth. Like many primitive items, bracers have found their way into Imperial society, primarily as a fashion item but often as a way of disguising useful gadgets like refractor or field generators, or even hidden communications devices. Heavy Plate Armour A certain metallurgy technological base is needed before allencasing plate armour can be developed. Such heavy armour affords greater protection and is known to be able to stand low-level las weapon blasts. However, plate armour is heavy and very uncomfortable to wear. Full sets of plate armour are considered to be of great value by certain collectors throughout the Imperium. On worlds capable of developing this armour, it tends to be worn only by nobles and the most elite of warriors. Scale Armour The Scar Dragons are in danger of vanishing on Monrass since their scales are valued for the construction of a particularly durable form of armour. Despite their fearsome nature, men, eager to reap the rewards that the creatures’ skin can bring, have hunted Scar Dragons to near extinction. Once killed, the hunters skin the dragon and drag off the carcass to be sold as meat (which is very tough but considered a delicacy on and off-world). The scales are turned into suits of armour. It is a highly skilled job that can only be performed by a member of the Scale Jakkers Guild. The manufacture of such armour takes many months, as each scale needs to be properly aligned and then bonded to the tough hide that forms the basis of the suit. Once complete, a suite of scale armour is very valuable and offers the wearer significant protection against both primitive and advanced weapons. The scales seem to be especially resistant to weapons that agitate air molecules to create heat, such as melta weapons. Some, who have witnessed the effectiveness of the armour have spoken of establishing a captive dragon population off-world in order farm the creatures for their desirable skin. In addition to the normal benefits conferred by wearing this armour, wearers gain a +10 bonus on Agility Tests made to avoid catching fire. Scrag Furs Formed from the hide of the ill-tempered and ill-smelling Scrag Bear, this armour is cheaper than other types of fur due to its distinctive stench. Somewhere between rancid ham and vomit, the wearer of scrag fur is not a popular fellow. A character wearing scrag furs takes a –10 penalty on all Fellowship Tests. Silk Mails Chainmail is a staple defence on many feudal worlds throughout the Imperium and some of the finest examples of chainmail in the Calixis sector is the work of the artisans of Acreage. Far finer and lighter than common mail and entirely more comfortable, silkmail (as it is known) is favoured by the nobility and highly prized by off-world collectors. Category:Armour